Kataragama President’s Central College
Founded in 1937 in the sacred city of Kataragama, the College has educated generations of children from Kataragama and the surrounding villages of the Moneragala district.
Past students of the school today serve as teachers, doctors, lawyers, business owners, public servants, farmers, artists and members of the armed forces and police across Sri Lanka and abroad. In Sinhala the school is known as කතරගම ජනාධිපති මධ්ය මහා විද්යාලය, and its past students are the Katharians.
The College’s name, crest and premises remain under the care of the Principal and the education authorities, and the Association uses them with the Principal’s written permission.
Photo: College buildingsHow the Katharians came to be
- Reunion Day. 726 past students from 56 batches return to the school. Every arrival is registered on the live desk system and the Battle of the Batches plays out on the big screen.
- First meeting. The Association is formally established, the Foundational Memorandum, Constitution and Rules are adopted, and 25 office-bearers, conveners, internal auditors and committee members are appointed, with the Principal as President ex officio.
- Building the foundations. The committee verifies the member register, opens the Association’s bank account, adopts its policies and fixes the remaining subscriptions.
- First election AGM. Members elect the first two-year committee under the Constitution.
Vision
A united, generous community of past students that strengthens Kataragama President’s Central College for every child who studies there.
Mission
To connect past students with one another and with the school; to support the College and its educational mission; to promote the welfare of present pupils, past students and teachers; to protect the heritage of the school; and to raise lawful resources for the public and educational good.
Values
Gratitude to our school, unity across batches, integrity and transparency in everything we do, safeguarding of pupils above every other interest, and strict political neutrality.
Structure of the Association
President
The serving Principal of the College is President ex officio. The President guides and presides but does not vote, so that the school and the Association remain in step.
Executive Committee
The Co-President, Vice President, Secretary, Vice Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Treasurer, two Conveners and fifteen Committee Members, one from each of the fifteen best-represented batches at the reunion.
Internal Auditors
Two Internal Auditors elected by the members, independent of the committee, examine the accounts each year before they go to the AGM and to any external auditor.
Chief Patron
A senior honorary, non-voting position to which the committee may invite a person of standing, such as a Venerable Nayaka Thero, for blessings and guidance.
Advisory Board
A standing body of senior past students who lend the Association experience, judgement and institutional memory. It advises; it does not manage.
Members
Every past student who joins has one vote at General Meetings. Members adopt the budget, receive the accounts, elect the committee and amend the Constitution.